GREAT EXPECTATIONS IN THE OLD WEST "Nancy, we've been over this," he said. "Gordon Naught has been all over the country, killing and stealing and doing God knows what else. He's a wicked man and someday he will pay for his crimes. Honestly, I don't know how Jasper got that picture. But I do know the first Golden Rule." Nancy hated all of the Golden Rules, especially the first one. "But, its ..." "Nancy? What is the Golden Rule?" Slumping down in her seat, Nancy petulantly crossed her arms and put her best pout on her lips. Was he really going to make her say it? When she looked at Geoff's...

I let the alarm clock ring even though I was already awake. The sound was sweet and soothing, relief from a long night. Once again it was over. And somehow I had survived. Outside the sun was coming up and the world turned various shades of purple. A lovely color had been drawn over everything in gentle crayon. The world was lightly warm, a precursor to the oncoming heat of the day. I lay in bed, enjoying the sound of the alarm clock, letting its harsh tongue chase away the remains of that awful dream. Already it was fading, as if it had never happened at all. Finally the sun started to peek...